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El Casimiro's Smoky 'Tatemado' Fish Ceviche

A white ceramic shallow dish holds the fish ceviche. The chopped fish is a pale gray color and sits in a dark liquid sauce. Mixed in the ceviche are sliced red onions, cucumbers, jalapeños, and cilantro.
Chef Jose Figueroa of el Casimiro in Tijuana shares a recipe for one of their best sellers, fish ceviche 'tatemado' — a word that does not have a literal translation, but almost means "charred" or "burnt." "Here in México, we love that burnt flavor profile, in a good way," says Figueroa.
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Charred Tomatillo Salsa Ingredients

  • 1/2 kg tomatillo
  • 1/2 kg Persian or English cucumber
  • 4 pieces fresh jalapeño chili
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 1 medium white onion
  • 150 grams fresh ginger
  • 100 mL soy sauce
  • 100 mL apple cider vinegar
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Ceviche Ingredients

  • 1 kg freshest local fish possible (yellowtail, red snapper) cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 kg Persian or English cucumber cut in small cubes
  • 1 piece of Jicama cut in small cubes
  • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 2 kg mexican lime, juiced

Making the Charred Tomatillo Salsa

  1. Place all the salsa ingredients, except for the soy sauce and vinegar, into a roasting pan.
  2. Roast everything (yes, even the cucumber) at 500ºF for about half hour, or until all of the ingredients are fully roasted and nicely charred all over.
  3. In a separate pan, bring the soy sauce and vinegar to a boil. Then, combine the soy sauce and vinegar mixture with the rest of the salsa ingredients. Blend until it's a nice and smooth consistency. Set salsa aside until completely cold.

Preparation

  1. In a non-reactive bowl, add chopped fish and season lightly with salt and lime juice. Immediately combine fish with chopped cucumber, chopped Jicama, thinly sliced medium red onion and roughly chopped fresh cilantro.
  2. Add enough of the charred tomatillo salsa so the ingredients are fully covered with it.
  3. Serve ceviche on top of corn tostadas or eat it in a bowl topped with sliced avocado and a drizzle of very good olive oil.

Attribution

This recipe is courtesy of José "Joe" Figueroa of El Casimiro.


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